Farm Educator & Program Assistant

About City Growers

City Growers is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization based in New York City. Our mission is to use urban agriculture to engage youth in experiential learning, nurturing a lifelong relationship to food, health and the natural world. We are committed to equity and transformative education. Rooted in experiential and inquiry-based learning theory, our programs aim to meet young people where they are in their exploration of urban ecosystems and food systems and guide them as they discover connections to self, community and the world. Our main classroom is Brooklyn Grange, where we use the innovation of an urban rooftop farm to inspire the next generation of leaders to protect the planet.

City Growers’ programs engage thousands of young people in farm-based learning each year through experiential Farm Workshops and Family Farm Days at Brooklyn Grange rooftop farms, school garden and beekeeping residencies, after school programs, spring and summer apprenticeships, and urban ecology workshops off the farm. City Growers is committed to providing and expanding access to experiential environmental and food education to youth in New York City and beyond.

About Our Team

https://www.citygrowers.org/team

City Growers is a small organization that operates within a seasonal structure based on NYC’s agricultural growing season. Year round, we operate with a full time team of 4 including the following roles:

• Executive Director - reports to the Board of Directors
• Director of Development and Communications - reports to the Executive Director
• Senior Program Manager and Lead Beekeeper - reports to the Executive Director
• Program Manager and Beekeeper - reports to the Executive Director

From mid-March through mid-November our team doubles to include 4 part-time seasonal Educator roles. City Growers Educators work in two teams of two co-leading workshops, lessons, and other educational engagements with K-12 youth on and off Brooklyn Grange farms. Each Educator team is directly supervised by one of two City Growers Program Managers. Both teams also collaborate and work together throughout the season.

About the Position

Outcome and Purpose

City Growers seeks two Farm Educators who will also assist with administrative and farm tasks related to our programs. This position will co-lead Farm Workshops both on and off Brooklyn Grange Farms. We are looking for Educators who will learn and work with our existing curriculum, while also contributing to and embracing curriculum adaptations and new program developments. This position offers meaningful experience in environmental education. We are seeking passionate and enthusiastic educators with a strong interest in sustainable agriculture and food systems to join our team.

Work Environment

This is a fully in-person role with multiple work sites. City Growers shares office and farm space with Brooklyn Grange and its Employees. The ideal candidate thrives in a co-working, space-sharing, team-working, collaborative environment.

Growth Path

This position offers opportunities to develop and grow employees’ skills as educators, growers, and urban ecosystem stewards.

Program Description

Farm Workshops are 90 minute tours and educational engagements, designed for K-12 students visiting Brooklyn Grange rooftop farms on school field trips. Educators co-facilitate each workshop at Brooklyn Grange’s Sunset Park and Brooklyn Navy Yard rooftop farms, and occasionally in schools and other community spaces. City Growers’ Farm Workshop content areas include: hands-on lessons about urban agriculture and food systems, plant science, eco arts, compost, pollination, and chickens. Farm Workshops occur regularly on school days, April through mid-November. Workshops and Community Engagements off the farms occur on both weekdays and weekends. Between each season - spring, summer and fall - there is a break in workshops when Educators and Program Managers attend training and work together on curriculum adaptations.

Schedule and Duration

Role Type

Part Time Seasonal, Non-Exempt

Duration

March 24th, 2025 through November 19th, 2025

Weekly Schedule

24 hours per week - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 9:30a-5:30p (Spring and Fall) and 9:00a-5:00p (Summer)

Weekend Schedule

Occasional community and family events take place mostly in May, September, and October.

Responsibilities

Teaching

• Facilitate experiential/hands-on lessons on a variety of sustainable concepts, including urban agriculture, compost, environmental issues, pollinator health, urban ecology, plant science, and insects.
• Support young people in developing comfort in inquiry, exploration, and being in community
• Learn and apply City Growers' curriculum and, with the support of Program Managers, explore adaptations or adjustments to the curriculum that include your unique style and voice as an educator.
• Prepare and inventory necessary materials and program supplies.
• Day-of coordination with Program Managers and visiting Teachers/Chaperones as necessary, in cases of inclement weather, tardiness or other unexpected day-of situations.
• Maintain records, administer surveys, and collect data.

Farm Tasks

• Cultivate and maintain our two “Learning beds” on each Brooklyn Grange farm (approx. 200 square foot farm plots) - used for exploration through planting, growing, harvesting with the teen apprentices and for exploration during Farm Workshops.
• Assist with chicken care tasks for our two rooftop teaching hens (coop cleaning, feeding, and watering).
• Sustain vermicomposting worm bins through weekly feeding and monitoring.
• Work in various weather conditions including heat and light rain.
• Assist with some heavy lifting and regular use of farm tools as needed.

Program Assistant Tasks

• Maintain, repair and replenish workshop materials.
• Keeping inventory of program supplies and assisting with ordering as needed.
• Document curriculum adaptations and assist Program Managers with incorporating them into all relevant existing curriculum.
• Regular email and phone call communication with school contacts.
• Assist with payment tracking and recording.
• Workshop registration and calendar management.

Partner and Donor Engagement

• Maintain and contribute to positive working relationships with our colleagues at Brooklyn Grange, and all other City Growers partners.
• Participate in and contribute to: funder site visits, volunteer days, donor engagements, and City Growers’ annual Gala fundraiser.
• Be a representative and ambassador of City Growers in all areas of the work. Whether interfacing with program participants, school teachers, individual donors, major funders, or partnering organizations and colleagues - all employees are expected to show up for all of the people and communities we work with.
• Compile content and contribute to social media and newsletter communications.

Preferred Qualifications

Teaching

• 1 year or more of previous experience in youth education
• Previous experience in curriculum development.
• Previous experience working in unique teaching environments with youth including outdoor spaces, camps, clubs, afterschool programs, etc.
• Passionate about experiential, explorative, inclusive, multi-directional facilitation of learning.
• Previous experience in farming, gardening, beekeeping, chicken care, composting, and/or eco-arts.
• Passionate about climate solutions, food equity, sustainability, biology, and environmental stewardship.
• Flexibility to report to different work locations in NYC (all accessible by public transportation).
• Positive attitude around youth of all ages.
• Proficiency in Spanish, Mandarin, and/or Bengali is highly preferred.
• Proficiency in Google Suite.

Working in a Team

• Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills, flexibility and leadership initiative.
• Demonstrates strong collaboration skills while working in a team to achieve shared goals.
• Demonstrates strong values in anti-biased, anti-racisit, inclusive, and equitable practices in education and youth development.
• Demonstrates excellent problem solving skills.
• Self-motivated with excellent time management skills.

Compensation

$25/hour

Additional Benefits

This role is eligible for part time employee benefits including:

• 40 hours of Paid Time Off
• Brooklyn Grange CSA Vegetable Share for 2025
• 50% discount towards annual CitiBike membership

How to Apply

Please send a cover letter, resume, and 2 professional references to employment@citygrowers.org.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

City Growers is an equal opportunity employer. We provide all individuals consideration for employment and advancement opportunities without regard to race, religion, color, creed, age, sex, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, familial status, marital status, partnership status, status as a domestic violence victim, disability, pregnancy, military status, status as a Vietnam Era or Special Disabled Veteran, genetic information as defined by the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act or state law, source of income, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including without limitation, hiring, promotions, compensation, benefits, disciplinary actions, training opportunities and all other terms and conditions of employment. Violations of this policy will not be tolerated, and any City Growers employee found to be engaging in any type of unlawful discrimination will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.